A preliminary survey of the epidemiology of bluetongue in Costa Rica and Northern Colombia

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Abstract
Recent evidence of bluetongue (BT) virus infection of livestock in scattered localities in the neotropics prompted a serologic survey of cattle in Colombia and Costa Rica. In Costa Rica 48·1% of 1435 bovine animals had BT virus antibody in the agar gel precipitation test (AGPT). In Colombia 51·8% of 635 cattle were AGPT-positive for BT virus. Antibody prevalence ranged from over 50% in the lowlands to 0% in Costa Rica and 19% in Colombian cattle above 2000 m altitude. Neutralization tests indicated that Costa Rican cattle had been exposed to BT virus types 6, 12, 14 and 17.